Your browser does not fully support modern features. Please upgrade for a smoother experience.
Subject:
All Disciplines Arts & Humanities Biology & Life Sciences Business & Economics Chemistry & Materials Science Computer Science & Mathematics Engineering Environmental & Earth Sciences Medicine & Pharmacology Physical Sciences Public Health & Healthcare Social Sciences
Sort by:
Most Viewed Latest Alphabetical (A-Z) Alphabetical (Z-A)
Filter:
All Topic Review Biography Peer Reviewed Entry Video Entry
Topic Review
Anti-Islet Autoantibodies in Type 1 Diabetes
Anti-islet autoantibodies serve as key markers in immune-mediated type 1 diabetes (T1D) and slowly progressive T1D (SPIDDM), also known as latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA). Autoantibodies to insulin (IAA), glutamic acid decarboxylase (GADA), tyrosine phosphatase-like protein IA-2 (IA-2A), and zinc transporter 8 (ZnT8A) are currently employed in the diagnosis, pathological analysis, and prediction of T1D. GADA can also be detected in non-diabetic patients with autoimmune diseases other than T1D and may not necessarily reflect insulitis. Conversely, IA-2A and ZnT8A serve as surrogate markers of pancreatic β-cell destruction. A combinatorial analysis of these four anti-islet autoantibodies demonstrated that 93–96% of acute-onset T1D and SPIDDM cases were diagnosed as immune-mediated T1D, while the majority of fulminant T1D cases were autoantibody-negative. 
  • 668
  • 31 Jul 2023
Topic Review
Antioxidants in Diabetes, Vascular Injury, Hypoxia, Atherosclerosis, Allergies
Oxidative and reductive stress are deviations from the optimal conditions when the capacity of cellular redox buffer systems is exceeded. Both conditions are harmful for cellular function and viability. Antioxidant systems include small molecules, such as ascorbate, α-tocopherol, GSH, many food additives and spices, the enzymes superoxide dismutases (SOD), catalase and glutathione peroxidases (GPx), proteins peroxiredoxins, thioredoxins and others.
  • 665
  • 15 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Trans-Regulatory KLF14 Gene
Krüpple-Like family of transcription factor-14 (KLF14) is a master trans-regulatory gene that has multiple biological regulatory functions and is involved in many pathological mechanisms. It controls the expressions of several other genes which are involved in multiple regulatory functions. 
  • 664
  • 28 Jun 2023
Topic Review
Oncology Vaccines
Oncology vaccines represent a breakthrough in oncology, using the principles of immunotherapy to stimulate the body's immune system to fight cancer, providing a more targeted approach with fewer side effects than traditional treatments such as surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy.
  • 663
  • 27 Oct 2023
Topic Review
Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Delivery Systems
An insulin pump is an electronic device that releases rapid insulin according to the body’s daily needs. Insulin pumps deliver insulin in two primary ways: A continuous infusion of small amounts of rapid insulin throughout the day and night (basal rate) and A one-time dose of rapid-acting insulin for meals or high blood glucose correction (bolus).
  • 662
  • 10 Jan 2024
Topic Review
Matrix Metalloproteinases Polymorphism
Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a family of Calcium and Zinc-dependent endoproteases able to degrade all extracellular matrix components and with a wide array of intracellular targets. They are involved in many physiologic processes (e.g. reproduction, tissue remodeling, cell migration, apoptosis) as well as in disease (cancer, cardiovascular and infective). Their biological activity is regulated with different mechanisms at expression, activation and neutralization levels. One of the earliest, is the occurrence of functional genetic polymorphisms (GP), i.e. DNA sequence variants of the gene or of its promoter (flanking region) accounting for a different expression. In some of these GP it has been demonstrated that one allelic variant ensures a different binding of transcription factors compared to the alternative allele. Another regulatory mechanism is neutralization, which is based on the expression of 4 different Tissue Inhibitors of MMPs (TIMPs) which undergo to the same regulation by GP. GPs of MMPs and TIMPs have been associated to susceptibility or complications of various diseases. GPs of MMPs and TIMP (namely MMP-1 rs1799750, MMP-3 rs3025058, MMP-8 rs11225395, MMP-9 rs2234681, and TIMP-1 rs4898) have been compared in 1058 patients with suspected sepsis to assess the association with susceptibility and etiology of sepsis.
  • 655
  • 22 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein Immunopathology, Treatment and Visual Outcome
The International Consensus Group on MOG autoantibody-associated disease (MOGAD) has proposed that the diagnostic criteria for MOGAD should include the presence of anti-MOG autoantibodies detected using cell-based assays. MOGAD is typically associated with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), optic neuritis (ON), and transverse myelitis (TM) and is less commonly associated with cerebral cortical encephalitis, brainstem or cerebellar symptoms, and clinical presentations including the combination of several phenotypes and sometimes accompanies other autoantibodies such as anti-N-methy-D aspartate receptor (NMDAR) autoantibodies with symptoms of autoimmune encephalitis.
  • 651
  • 18 Sep 2023
Topic Review
CircRNAs and RNA-Binding Proteins
Circular RNAs (circRNAs), a newly recognized group of noncoding RNA transcripts, have established widespread attention due to their regulatory role in cell signaling. They are covalently closed noncoding RNAs that form a loop, and are typically generated during the splicing of precursor RNAs. CircRNAs are key post-transcriptional and post-translational regulators of gene expression programs that might influence cellular response and/or function. In particular, circRNAs have been considered to function as sponges of specific miRNA, regulating cellular processes at the post-transcription stage. Accumulating evidence has shown that the aberrant expression of circRNAs could play a key role in the pathogenesis of several diseases. Notably, circRNAs, microRNAs, and several RNA-binding proteins, including the antiproliferative (APRO) family proteins, could be indispensable gene modulators, which might be strongly linked to the occurrence of diseases. In addition, circRNAs have attracted general interest for their stability, abundance in the brain, and their capability to cross the blood–brain barrier.
  • 648
  • 21 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Tβ4-POP-Ac-SDKP Axis in Organ Fibrosis
Fibrosis is a pathological process in which parenchymal cells are necrotic and excess extracellular matrix (ECM) is accumulated due to dysregulation of tissue injury repair. Thymosin β4 (Tβ4) is a 43 amino acid multifunctional polypeptide that is involved in wound healing. Prolyl oligopeptidase (POP) is the main enzyme that hydrolyzes Tβ4 to produce its derivative N-acetyl-seryl-aspartyl-lysyl-proline (Ac-SDKP) which is found to play a role in the regulation of fibrosis. Accumulating evidence suggests that the Tβ4-POP-Ac-SDKP axis widely exists in various tissues and organs including the liver, kidney, heart, and lung, and participates in the process of fibrogenesis. The Tβ4-POP-Ac-SDKP axis exerts protective effects against organ fibrosis. It is promising that appropriate dosing regimens that rely on this axis could serve as a new therapeutic strategy for alleviating organ fibrosis in the early and late stages.
  • 643
  • 16 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Metabolic Dysfunction Biomarkers as Predictors of Early Diabetes
Lifestyle interventions must be made with considerable involvement of clinicians, and it should be considered that not all patients will respond in the same manner. Individuals with a high risk of diabetic progression will present compensatory metabolic mechanisms, translated into metabolic biomarkers that will therefore show potential predictive value to differentiate between progressors/non-progressors in T2D. Specific novel biomarkers are being proposed to entrap prediabetes and target progressors to achieve better outcomes.
  • 642
  • 15 Dec 2021
Topic Review
Biomedical Applications of the Biopolymer Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate)
Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) is a biodegradable and biocompatible biopolymer that has gained popularity in the field of biomedicine. PHBV has shown to be a versatile platform for drug delivery, offering controlled release, enhanced therapeutic efficacy, and reduced side effects. The encapsulation of various drugs, such as anticancer agents, antibiotics, and anti-inflammatory drugs, in PHBV nanoparticles or microspheres has been extensively investigated, demonstrating enhanced drug stability, prolonged release kinetics, and increased bioavailability. Additionally, PHBV has been used as a scaffold material for tissue engineering applications, such as bone, cartilage, and skin regeneration. The incorporation of PHBV into scaffolds has been shown to improve mechanical properties, biocompatibility, and cellular interactions, making them suitable for tissue engineering constructs. 
  • 642
  • 28 Sep 2023
Topic Review
Technical Measures to Prolong Analgesia
With the development of extended-release formulations and enhanced selectivity for nociceptive sensory neurons, a very promising contribution to the development of pain medications has been achieved. At present, liposomal bupivacaine is the most popular, non-opioid, controlled drug delivery system, but its duration of action, which is still controversially discussed, and its expensiveness have decreased initial enthusiasm. Continuous techniques can be seen as an elegant alternative for providing a prolonged duration of analgesia, but for logistic or anatomical reasons, they are not always the best choice. Therefore, focus has been directed towards the perineural and/or intravenous addition of old and established substances. 
  • 639
  • 14 Mar 2023
Topic Review
Chemokines in Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome
The objective of this entry is to present an update on the link between chemokines and obesity-related inflammation and metabolism dysregulation under the linght of recent knowledge, which may present important therapeutic targets that could control obesity-associated immune and metabolic disorders and chronic complications in near future. In addition, the cellular and molecular mechanisms of chemokines and chemokine receptors including the potential effect of post-translational modification of chemokines in ther regulation of inflammation and energy metabolism will be discussed in this entry.
  • 638
  • 06 Jan 2022
Topic Review
Liquid Biopsy in Gastrointestinal Cancer Disease
Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are a common cancer, affecting both men and women, normally diagnosed through tissue biopsies in combination with imaging techniques and standardized biomarkers leading to patient selection for local or systemic therapies. Liquid biopsies (LBs)—due to their non-invasive nature as well as low risk—are the current focus of cancer research and could be a promising tool for early cancer detection and treatment surveillance, thus leading to better patient outcomes. 
  • 635
  • 18 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Gene Therapy for Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder with a prevalence that increases steadily with age. Gene therapy is a modern medical practice that theoretically, and practically, has demonstrated its capability in joining the battle against PD and other complex disorders on most if not all fronts. 
  • 634
  • 11 Aug 2022
Topic Review
MHDI-Mediated Inhibition of Aβ-Induced Oxidative Stress
Under physiological conditions, the transmembrane glycoprotein amyloid precursor protein (APP) plays a major role in central nervous system maturation and cell contact and adhesion. However, APP overexpression can cause the production of neurotoxic derivatives, closely related to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) development. APP can be cleaved by α-secretase to initiate the nonamyloidogenic cascade preventing Aβ accumulation. Aβ peptides are produced from APP cleavage through the activation of β- and γ-secretases in the brain regions, particularly in the temporal and frontal lobes during the early AD stages.
  • 634
  • 18 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Non-Coding RNAs in Airway Diseases
Inflammation of the human lung is mediated in response to different stimuli (e.g., physical, radioactive, infective, pro-allergenic, or toxic) such as cigarette smoke and environmental pollutants. These stimuli often promote an increase in different inflammatory activities in the airways, manifesting themselves as chronic diseases (e.g., allergic airway diseases, asthma chronic bronchitis/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or even lung cancer). Non-coding RNA (ncRNAs) are single-stranded RNA molecules of few nucleotides that regulate the gene expression involved in many cellular processes. ncRNA are molecules typically involved in the reduction of translation and stability of the genes of mRNAs s.
  • 634
  • 04 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Metabolomics in Cancer Research
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common malignancy of the brain with a relatively short median survival and high mortality. Advanced age, high socioeconomic status, exposure to ionizing radiation, and other factors have been correlated with an increased incidence of GBM, while female sex hormones, history of allergies, and frequent use of specific drugs might exert protective effects against this disease. Recent developments in analytical techniques, e.g., matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI)-TOF MS, significantly improved the  understanding of cellular metabolism. These techniques, which are collectively known as metabolomics, provide valuable insights into metabolic profiles of healthy cells, as well as tumor cells.
  • 634
  • 31 Jan 2023
Topic Review
HSP70 and Its Targeting in Onco-Hematological Diseases
The search for molecules to be targeted that are involved in apoptosis resistance/increased survival and pathogenesis of onco-hematological malignancies is ongoing since these diseases are still not completely understood. A good candidate has been identified in the Heat Shock Protein of 70kDa (HSP70), a molecule defined as “the most cytoprotective protein ever been described”. HSP70 is induced in response to a wide variety of physiological and environmental insults, allowing cells to survive lethal conditions. This molecular chaperone has been detected and studied in almost all the onco-hematological diseases and is also correlated to poor prognosis and resistance to therapy. 
  • 634
  • 21 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Innate Immunity in Autoimmune Thyroid Disease during Pregnancy
Autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) is the most common organ-specific autoimmune disorder clinically presented as Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT) and Graves’ disease (GD). The pathogenesis of AITD is caused by an inappropriate immune response related to genetic, non-genetic, and environmental factors. Pregnancy is one of the factors that have a great influence on the function of the thyroid gland because of the increased metabolic demand and the effects of hormones related to pregnancy. During pregnancy, an adaptation of the maternal immune system occurs, especially of the innate immune system engaged in maintaining adaptive immunity in the tolerant state, preventing the rejection of the fetus. Pregnancy-related hormonal changes (estrogen, progesterone, hCG) may modulate the activity of innate immune cells, potentially worsening the course of AITD during pregnancy. This especially applies to NK cells, which are associated with exacerbation of HD and GD. On the other hand, previous thyroid disorders can affect fertility and cause adverse outcomes of pregnancy, such as placental abruption, spontaneous abortion, and premature delivery. Additionally, it can cause fetal growth retardation and may contribute to impaired neuropsychological development of the fetus.
  • 631
  • 25 Oct 2023
  • Page
  • of
  • 35
Featured Entry Collections
>>

Featured Reprints

>>
Encyclopedia of Digital Society, Industry 5.0 and Smart City
Encyclopedia of Engineering
Encyclopedia of Social Sciences
Encyclopedia of Medieval Royal Iconography
Academic Video Service
Feedback